Ahead of his long-awaited showdown with John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel, AJ Styles has officially confirmed that his wrestling career is nearing its end.

Speaking during the Crown Jewel Kickoff Show in Perth, Australia, Styles revealed that he intends to retire in 2026. Reflecting on his career and age, he said, “I am getting older. The fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer.”

At 48 years old, Styles shared that his decision was also influenced by his desire to spend more time with his family after decades of competing around the world.

The timing of Styles’ announcement comes as Cena himself approaches the final stretch of his storied career. The 16-time World Champion has been on a retirement tour throughout 2025, and following Crown Jewel, only four matches remain on his schedule.

It feels fitting that one of Cena’s last matches comes against Styles, a rival who pushed him to his limits in their classic encounters back in 2016 and 2017. On Friday, Styles reflected on that rivalry, acknowledging how surreal it was for fans to witness the face of TNA going toe-to-toe with the face of WWE.

True to his confident persona, Styles also revived one of his most memorable lines, declaring that he plans to “beat up John Cena” at Crown Jewel.

Before reaching WWE, Styles built a legendary reputation across multiple promotions. After a short stint in WCW as Air Styles in 2001, he competed in Ring of Honor and became a cornerstone of TNA Wrestling, where he captured five world titles, six X-Division championships, and six tag team titles.

When his TNA chapter closed in 2014, Styles went on to dominate in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, becoming a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and further cementing his global reputation.

In 2016, he made a stunning WWE debut at the Royal Rumble and went on to achieve nearly every accolade possible. His résumé includes two WWE Championship reigns, three United States titles, an Intercontinental title, and tag team gold.